爱华网Crow And Fowl 乌鸦和母鸡
When prince Smolensky's art had found a way to curb the foe's presumptuous heart. The modern Vandals snared to ruin and left them Moscow town to their undoing.
Then all, the great and small, each blessed soul alive, Packed up without an hour's delay and from the walls of Moscow streamed away like swarm of bees that leaves the hive.
A crow upon a roof that slowly cleaned her beak surveyed the tumult, perched apart.
'Why, friend, it's surely time to start?' called out a hen upon a cart, 'Stands at the gate, even while I speak, our ruthless foe.'
'And where's the harm in that for me?' The augur bird replies: 'I'll hold my own, you'll see; You chicken-hearts, that want to, go! But folk will neither roast nor stew a crow. We'll get on well enough, our guests and I, who knows but I may find some dainty snacks of food, a bit of cheese, a bone or something good? Good luck, dear Henny, on the road! Good-bye!'
So Crow, she stayed behind. What else? Why, stead of snacks her board to embellish, When, in Smolensky's clutch, the French took in their belts, they cooked the crow as well, to give their soup a relish.
As blind, as foolish often do human reckonings show. You're close on Fortune's heels; you think you'll catch the jade, And when the last accounts are made, you're in the soup, just like our crow.
当年，斯摩凌斯奇公爵为打击敌人狂妄的气焰设下奇谋，给新的汪达尔布下天罗地网，撤出墨西哥来消灭他们。
于是所有居民，不分贵贱，人人刻不容缓地收拾行李，涌出莫斯科好像涌出蜂房。
一只乌鸦独自待在屋里，慢慢的擦洗着嘴巴，俯瞰着下面的一片慌乱。
“怎么啦，朋友，是该走的时候了?”一只母鸡从大车上对它说：“咱们残酷的敌人，说话间就要到门口了!”
“这对我有什么妨碍?”，这预言家答道：“我决定留在这里，你们这些胆小鬼才想走，走你们的吧!可不会把乌鸦烤了煮了，我跟客人们会相处的很好，说不定我还会分点好吃的呢，一小片奶酪呀，一块骨头呀，或者其他什么好东西。再见，亲爱的凤冠鸡，祝你一路平安。”
乌鸦真的留下来了。后来怎么样呢?当法兰西人在斯摩棱斯基的围困中束紧裤带时，乌鸦没有尝到好东西，而法兰西客人照样煮了它，为他们的羹汤添点滋味。
一个人在算盘时常常愚蠢而盲目，你紧紧追求幸福，自以为一定能获得至宝，可归根结底一算，却和这个乌鸦一样，成了别人的羹汤。
A lucky customer 幸运的顾客
All the housewives who went to the new supermarket had one great ambition: to be the lucky customer who did not have to pay for her shopping. For this was what the notice just inside the entrance promised. It said: "remember, once a week, one of our customers gets free goods. This may be your lucky day!"
For several weeks Mrs. Edwards hoped, like many of her friends, to be the lucky customer.Unlike her friends, she never gave up hope. The cupboards in her kitchen were full of things, which she did not need. Her husband tried to advise her against buying things but failed. She dreamed of the day when the manager of the supermarket would approach her and say, "Madam, this is your lucky day. Everything in your basket is free."
On Friday morning, after she had finished her shopping and taken it to her car, she found that she had forgotten to buy any tea. She dashed back to the supermarket, got the tea and went towards the cash desk. As she did so, she saw the manager of the supermarket approach her. "Madam," he said, holding out his hand, "I want to congratulate you! You are our lucky customer and everything you have in your basket is free!"
最近有家新开张的超市，所有前往光顾的主妇都怀揣着一个美好的愿望——幸运地成为一个购物不用交钱的顾客。这是商店入口处的启事上所承诺的。启事上写着：“请记住，每个星期都有一位可以免费购物的顾客。也许，今天就是您的幸运日!”
几个星期以来，正如自己的许多朋友一样，爱德华太太一直盼望着自己会成为那位幸运的顾客。跟朋友们不同，她一直没有放弃这一期望。家里厨房的碗柜中都塞满了并不实用的东西。她的丈夫建议她不要乱买东西，然而收效甚微。她一直梦想着有一天超市的经理走到她的面前，对她说：“夫人，今天是您的幸运日，您篮子里的所有东西都是免费的。”
一个周五的早晨，她采购完并把东西放进车里后，才想起自己忘了买茶叶。她急匆匆地回到超市，取了茶叶后向收银处走去。正在此时，她看到商店的经理走了过来。“夫人，”他一边说着一边伸出手来，“我要恭喜您!您是我们的幸运顾客，您篮子里的所有东西都是免费的。”
The fox and the monkey 狐狸和猴子
A fox and a monkey were on the road together, and fell into a dispute as to which of the two was the better born. They kept it up for some time, till they came to a place where the road passed through a cemetery full of monuments, when the monkey stopped and looked about him and gave a great sigh. "Why do you sigh?" said the fox. The monkey pointed to the tombs and replied, "All the monuments that you see here were put up in honour of my forefathers, who in their day were eminent men." The fox was speechless for a moment, but quickly recovering he said, "Oh! don't stop at any lie, sir; you're quite safe: I'm sure none of your ancestors will rise up and expose you."
Boasters brag most when they cannot be detected.
狐狸与猴子同行，一路上都在争吵谁的家世更高贵。他们各自坚持着夸耀自己，边说边来到一个路边满是墓地的地方。这时，猴子停下来，四处观望，然后放声大哭。“你为什么这样吗?”狐狸忙问道。猴子指着那些墓碑，说：“你在这里看到的所有墓碑都是我祖先的荣誉，他们当时可都是杰出的人士!”狐狸沉默了一会儿，但是很快就反驳道：“哦!接着吹吧，先生，不会有人揭穿你的——我相信，他们之中没有人能站起来反驳你。
谎言无法被揭穿时，吹牛者便会夸夸其谈。
The grasshopper and the owl 蚂蚱和猫头鹰
An owl, who lived in a hollow tree, was in the habit of feeding by night and sleeping by day, but her slumbers were greatly disturbed by the chirping of a grasshopper, who had taken up his abode in the branches. She begged him repeatedly to have some consideration for her comfort, but the grasshopper, if anything, only chirped the louder. At last the owl could stand it no longer, but determined to rid herself of the pest by means of a trick. Addressing herself to the grasshopper, she said in her pleasantest manner, "As I cannot sleep for your song, which, believe me, is as sweet as the notes of Apollo's lyr., I have a mind to taste some nectar, which Minerva gave me the other day. Won't you come in and join me?" The grasshopper was flattered by the praise of his song, and his mouth, too, watered at the mention of the delicious drink, so he said he would be delighted. No sooner had he got inside the hollow where the owl was sitting than she pounced upon him and ate him up.
栖息在一棵树上的猫头鹰，习惯于晚上觅食，白天睡觉。可是，她白天却也睡不好，一只早已在树丛间坐窝的蚂蚱总发出啁啾声，吵得她无法入睡。猫头鹰不断地请求蚂蚱考虑一下她的情况，可蚂蚱却仍然大声叫个不停。最后，猫头鹰再也受不了了，决定设计除掉蚂蚱。于是，猫头鹰装出一副高兴样，对蚂蚱说：“尽管我被你的歌声惊扰，睡不着觉，但是请相信我，你的歌声如同阿波罗神的七弦琴一样动听。我正想喝一杯美味琼浆，这可是密涅瓦送给我的。你要不要上来和我一起享用呢?”蚂蚱正得意于猫头鹰对自己歌声的奉承，一听到有琼浆玉液，嘴巴里就开始流口水了，所以，他很高兴地接受了邀请，待他刚一飞上去，猫头鹰就从树洞中冲出来，扑过去抓住蚂蚱，吃掉了他。
The three happy brothers 快乐的三兄弟
There were three brothers.They each decided to find a precious treasure and meet a year later.
One year later, the three brothers gathered again. They each boasted about the treasure they had.
The oldest brother brought a telescope. "I found a telescope which can see far away."
The second brother brought a flying carpet." I found a flying carpet that can be anywhere."
The third brother said." I found an apple that cures all diseases."
The brothers were amazed at the treasures they found. "Let's see what we can do with our treasures now." The brothers all nodded.
The oldest brother looked through his telescope and saw a palace in the distance. A princess was lying in bed sick. The second opened his carpet and said. "Let's ride this carpet and go to the palace." The three brothers went to the palace on the flying carpet to save the sick princess.
The three brothers met the king and told him why they had some. The king said. "How commendable. If you cure the princess, I will let one of you marry the princess." The youngest brother gave the princess the apple he found..
The princess had been sick for a long time, but with one bite of the apple, she was cured.
The king hugged the princess with joy. "Okay, as promised,one of you can marry the princess." The brothers each wanted the other to marry the princess. No matter how pretty and princess was, the brothers thought their loyalty was more important.
The king was moved and gave them gold and silver and high positions. The three brothers lived happily ever after.
从前有三兄弟。他们决定每个人找到一个宝贝，并约定一年后再碰面。
一年后，三兄弟再次相聚。他们每个人都吹嘘自己的宝贝。
大哥带来了一个望远镜。“我发现了一个望远镜，它可以看到很远的东西。”
第二个兄弟带来了一张飞毯。“我发现了一张飞毯，它可以去任何地方。”
第三个兄弟说。“我发现了一个能治愈所有疾病的苹果。”
兄弟们都为他们发现的宝贝感到惊讶。“现在让我们来看看我们能用这些宝贝做些什么。其他兄弟都点头同意。
大哥通过他的望远镜考到了远处的一座宫殿。一位公主正躺在病床上。第二兄弟打开了他的飞毯，并说。“让我们骑上飞毯去皇宫。”三兄弟骑着飞毯去王宫救公主。
三兄弟见了国王，并告诉他，他们有的东西。国王说。“无论如何。如果你们能治好公主,我会让你们中的一人和公主结婚。”最小的弟弟把她得到的苹果给了公主。
公主生了很长时间的病了，但只是咬了一口苹果，她的病就好了。
国王高兴的抱住了公主。“好吧，根据承诺，你们中的一人可以娶公主。”三兄弟都希望其他兄弟娶公主。无论公主多么漂亮，三兄弟都认为他们的忠诚更重要。
国王被感动了，给了他们很多金银和高官职位。从此三兄弟过着幸福快乐的日子。
The stag in the ox-stall 牛棚里的雄鹿
A stag, chased from his lair by the hounds, took refuge in a farmyard, and, entering a stable where a number of oxen were stalled, thrust himself under a pile of hay in a vacant stall, where he lay concealed, all but the tips of his horns. Presently one of the oxen said to him, "What has induced you to come in here? Aren't you aware of the risk you are running of being captured by the herdsmen?" To which he replied, "Pray let me stay for the present. When night comes I shall easily escape under cover of the dark."
In the course of the afternoon more than one of the farm-hands came in, to attend to the wants of the cattle, but not one of them noticed the presence of the stag, who accordingly began to congratulate himself on his escape and to express his gratitude to the oxen. "We wish you well," said the one who had spoken before, "but you are not out of danger yet. If the master comes, you will certainly be found out, for nothing ever escapes his keen eyes."
Presently, sure enough, in he came, and made a great to-do about the way the oxen were kept. "The beasts are starving," he cried; "here, give them more hay, and put plenty of litter under them." As he spoke, he seized an armful himself from the pile where the stag lay concealed, and at once detected him. Calling his men, he had him seized at once and killed for the table.
一只雄鹿被猎狗赶出了巢，只得躲进一个农家小院里。他闯进一个满是公牛的牛棚里，拼命挤进空牛栏的干草堆中，藏了起来，但是他的鹿角却一直藏在外面。不久，一头公牛对他说：“是什么原因让你到这里来自投罗网呢?呆在这里很危险，会被牧人抓走的。你知不知道?”雄鹿回答说：“求求你，就让我在这里呆一会儿吧。当夜幕降临后，我就能有机会在黑暗中逃走了”。
整个下午都很平安，虽然有几个雇工来牛棚照料牛群，但是没有一个人注意到雄鹿的存在，雄鹿一边暗自庆幸可以平安逃走，一边对公牛表示感激。“我们都希望你能平安，”先前和雄鹿讲话的那头公牛又开口了，“但是，你还没能完全脱离危险。如果主人来了，你可能就会被发现，因为没有什么能逃出他的眼睛。”
正说着，农场主来了，开始抱怨工人没有照料好牛群。“牲口都饿着呢，”他大喊道，“这里再多加点干草，要给他们足够的铺垫。”他一边说着话，一边查看雄鹿躲身的干草堆，立刻认出了雄鹿。于是，他叫来帮工，立刻抓住雄鹿并杀死它美餐一顿。
The hares and the frogs 野兔和青蛙
The hares once gathered together and lamented the unhappiness of their lot, exposed as they were to dangers on all sides and lacking the strength and the courage to hold their own.
Men, dogs, birds and beasts of prey were all their enemies, and killed and devoured them daily: and sooner than endure such persecution any longer, they one and all determined to end their miserable lives. Thus resolved and desperate, they rushed in a body towards a neighbouring pool, intending to drown themselves.
On the bank were sitting a number of frogs, who, when they heard the noise of the hares as they ran, with one accord leaped into the water and hid themselves in the depths.
Then one of the older hares who was wiser than the rest cried out to his companions, "Stop, my friends, take heart; don't let us destroy ourselves after all: see, here are creatures who are afraid of us, and who must, therefore, be still more timid than ourselves."
有一次，众多野兔聚集在一起，哀悼自己的不幸命运，方方面面都遭遇危险，而他们却缺乏勇气和力量去掌握自己的命运。
人、狗、鸟类和猛兽等都是他们的敌人，整日屠杀吞噬他们。一想到要忍受这样的迫害，他们都认为还不如一死了之呢。于是他们下定决心，不顾一切来到附近的池塘边，准备投水自尽。
有一群青蛙正围坐在池塘边，听到兔子们那急促的跑步声后，青蛙们立即纷纷跳入水中。
兔子中，有一只年长的兔子比同伴们聪明一些：“朋友们，快停下来，我们应该振作起来，不要再自寻短见了!你们看，这里还有一些害怕我们的动物呢，他们肯定比我们更胆小。”
一年后，三兄弟再次相聚。他们每个人都吹嘘自己的宝贝。
大哥带来了一个望远镜。“我发现了一个望远镜，它可以看到很远的东西。”
第二个兄弟带来了一张飞毯。“我发现了一张飞毯，它可以去任何地方。”
第三个兄弟说。“我发现了一个能治愈所有疾病的苹果。”
兄弟们都为他们发现的宝贝感到惊讶。“现在让我们来看看我们能用这些宝贝做些什么。其他兄弟都点头同意。
大哥通过他的望远镜考到了远处的一座宫殿。一位公主正躺在病床上。第二兄弟打开了他的飞毯，并说。“让我们骑上飞毯去皇宫。”三兄弟骑着飞毯去王宫救公主。
三兄弟见了国王，并告诉他，他们有的东西。国王说。“无论如何。如果你们能治好公主,我会让你们中的一人和公主结婚。”最小的弟弟把她得到的苹果给了公主。
公主生了很长时间的病了，但只是咬了一口苹果，她的病就好了。
国王高兴的抱住了公主。“好吧，根据承诺，你们中的一人可以娶公主。”三兄弟都希望其他兄弟娶公主。无论公主多么漂亮，三兄弟都认为他们的忠诚更重要。
国王被感动了，给了他们很多金银和高官职位。从此三兄弟过着幸福快乐的日子。
